- (a) The agency shall have a written discipline policy that is consistently followed.
- (b) Discipline shall be directed toward teaching the child acceptable behavior and self-control.
(c) Discipline shall be appropriate to the child’s:
- (1) Age;
- (2) Development; and
- (3) History.
(d) The following disciplinary actions shall not be used:
(1) Denial of:
- (A) Meals;
- (B) Sleep;
- (C) Shelter;
- (D) Essential clothing; or
- (E) Treatment plan activities;
(2)
- (A) Denial of parental visits or regular phone and mail contact with family.
- (B) Nondisciplinary treatment planning issues are accepted;
- (3) Lewd or obscene language;
(4) Derogatory comments about the child or the child’s:
- (A) Family;
- (B) Race; or
- (C) Gender;
- (5) Restriction to a room for more than a short period of time without periodic observation;
- (6) Restriction to a dark room or area;
- (7) Physical injury or threat of bodily harm;
- (8) Humiliating or degrading action; or
- (9) Extremely strenuous work or exercise.
- (e) A child shall not be allowed to administer discipline.
(f) Searches of a child or a child’s personal property shall be for reasons limited to:
- (1) Safety and security of children and staff;
- (2) Cases of suspected theft; or
- (3) Suspicion of possession of items that are not permitted by agency policy.
(g) Any searches requiring removal of clothing shall be:
- (1) Done in privacy; and
- (2) Witnessed by two (2) staff of the same gender as the child.
(h) The agency shall have a written policy governing the use of behavior control measures with children, including:
- (1) Physical, mechanical, or chemical restraints; and
- (2) Seclusion rooms.
(i)
- (1) Physical restraints shall be performed using minimal force and time necessary.
- (2) “Physical restraint” means the application of physical force without the use of any device, for the purpose of restraining the free movement of a resident's body.
- (3) Briefly holding a child without undue force in order to calm or comfort them or holding a hand to safely escort a child from one (1) area to another is not considered a physical restraint.
(j)
(1) Physical restraint:
- (A) Shall be initiated only by staff who are trained by a certified instructor in a nationally recognized curriculum, and only to prevent injury to:
(i) The child;
(ii) Other people; or
- (iii) Property; and
- (B) Shall not be initiated solely as a form of discipline.
- (2) The agency shall maintain documentation that staff is deemed competent in physical restraint.
(k)
- (1) Chemical restraints shall be used only if ordered by a physician.
- (2) A chemical restraint is an emergency behavioral intervention that uses pharmaceuticals by topical application, oral administration, injection, or other means to modify a child’s behavior.
(3) Prescribed treatment medications that have a secondary effect on the child’s behavior are not considered chemical restraint.
(l) Seclusion or mechanical or physical restraints shall be used only if ordered by a physician.
- (m)
(1) Each written order for a physical restraint or seclusion is limited to:
- (A) Two (2) hours for children nine through seventeen (9 – 17) years of age; or
- (B) One (1) hour for children under nine (9) years of age.
- (2) A physician, clinically qualified registered nurse, or other authorized licensed independent practitioner shall conduct a face-to-face assessment of the child within one (1) hour after the initiation of the ordered intervention.
(n)
- (1) The original order may only be renewed in accordance with these limits for up to a total of twenty-four (24) hours.
- (2) After the original order expires, a physician, clinically qualified registered nurse, or other authorized licensed independent practitioner shall see and assess the child before issuing a new order.
- (o) Staff shall search each child before placement into seclusion, and all potentially hazardous items shall be removed.
- (p) Staff shall continually monitor each child in seclusion or restraints and shall document.
(q) Documentation of all restraints shall be maintained and shall include the:
- (1) Child’s name;
- (2) Date;
- (3) Time;
- (4) Reason;
- (5) Staff involved; and
- (6) Measures taken prior to restraint.